tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-85860394201814582732018-08-31T15:43:26.568-04:00Larry B. Gray's Thoughts On Life, Business & Florida Real EstateLarry B. Grayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04891023045117835261noreply@blogger.comBlogger106125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8586039420181458273.post-18039888467938339772014-08-13T12:07:00.000-04:002014-08-13T12:07:48.956-04:00Leaders Must Lead: The Three "F's" of Leadership <br /><br /><br /><div class="post-header"><div class="post-header-line-1"></div></div><div class="post-body entry-content" id="post-body-2797305777368391242" itemprop="description articleBody"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-U06EQ9DxOaA/U-uMX7ywYRI/AAAAAAAACIc/Ps1nez-_kBI/s1600/Larry%2BGray%2B7-5-07.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-U06EQ9DxOaA/U-uMX7ywYRI/AAAAAAAACIc/Ps1nez-_kBI/s1600/Larry%2BGray%2B7-5-07.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br /> There comes a point in every relationship, organization, business, and related activity when leaders must lead. The various teams have done their designing. The committees have reviewed it. Management has approved it. Now, it is time for leaders to take control and execute it. This is true whether we are talking about building a rocket ship or selling a house; once plans are made they have to be executed.<br /><br /> Leaders are the people that make it happen. They execute the plans and insure the goals are met. Whether they are leaders of a large group of fellow associates or they are an individual performance leader, such as sales leader, they set the pace and standards of the job to be done. <br /><br /> Leaders accomplish this through other people. A team leader will guide and direct his team insuring all the members maintain their focus on achieving the desired results. A sales leader will work with all parties of a transaction to insure they stay focused on making the transaction. The primary function of leadership in any situation involves working with and through other people to achieve the results of the goal.<br /><br /> Working with and through other people can be challenging but that is why you are the leader. As a leader it is important to learn and apply the three F’s of leadership in all their work relationships and interactions with other people. A leader should treat everyone with respect by being:<br /><br /> 1. Fair<br /><br /> 2. Firm<br /><br /> 3. Frank<br /><br /><strong>Fair</strong><br /><br /> Your reputation is one of the most important assets you have. How people perceive you will determine how willing they are to work with you. As a team leader a positive reputation will make your associates put out the extra effort needed to accomplish any goal. As a sales leader your reputation will bring business and clients to you.<br /><br /> Being fair is simply treating all people the same. If people know they can trust you they will want to work with you. Be honest with all parties and work for a win-win solution to any problems that arise.<br /><br /> Make time for all your associates and business partners. This will go a long way to helping you achieve the reputation of being fair. Showing favoritism in any business relationship can have strong negative consequences.<br /><br /> Even in businesses where professional and corporate guidelines/rules appear to restrict your relationship with one party or the other in a business transaction you can still be fair in your actions. Be honest. If you cannot do something tell the party you cannot. By following the guidelines to the letter you are maintaining your fairness in the business relationship. Simply applying the rules equally to all parties with fairness and honesty helps you achieve your goals.<br /><br /><strong>Firm</strong><br /><br /> In the old days when you said a leader was firm you meant he ruled with an iron fist. There are still times when a leader has to be strict but being firm means more than this. It means being a decisive leader, one who can make a decision and follow through with it.<br /><br /> When being firm you need to stick to your principles and company policies/rules in all your business relationships. Don’t be indecisive when it comes to doing what is right or wrong. Let your principles and policies guide you in your decisions and how you implement actions. <br /><br /> When you make a decision stick with it, don’t be wishy-washy about it. You are not a “yes person” but you are the leader and at times it is your job to make the hard choices that are necessary to accomplish the goal. <br /><br /> Being firm also means when your decision or plans need to be changed you change them. But, you base the need to change on the facts needed to reach your goal. A good leader knows when and how to be flexible and adaptable.<br /><br /> Be open the suggestion, ideas, guidance and advice. A good leader does not make decisions in a vacuum but in the end a good leader makes the decision. <br /><br /><strong>Frank</strong><br /><br /> A good leader is an honest leader. His very principles demand truthfulness and honesty. He shares all the facts that he can with his team and/or clients to help them accomplish the goal. <br /><br /> When working in a team environment a good leader deals with all situations with truthfulness whether with the team or an individual. If praise is justified he gives it honestly and freely. If correction is needed he handles it with the same frankness, dealing with facts.<br /><br /> An individual leader such as a sales leader is frank with his associates and clients. He gives them all the facts, both good and bad, so they can make the best decision for their goals. <br /><br /> By following the three “F’s” of leadership a good leader will find the interaction with fellow associates and clients easier and more rewarding. Developing a reputation of being fair, firm and frank in your business relationships will help move you from being a good leader to being a great leader.</div><div class="post-body entry-content" itemprop="description articleBody">&nbsp;</div><div class="post-body entry-content" itemprop="description articleBody">&nbsp;</div><div class="post-body entry-content" itemprop="description articleBody">&nbsp;</div><div class="post-body entry-content" itemprop="description articleBody">&nbsp;</div><div class="post-body entry-content" itemprop="description articleBody">&nbsp;</div><div class="post-body entry-content" itemprop="description articleBody">&nbsp;</div><div class="post-body entry-content" itemprop="description articleBody">&nbsp;</div><div class="post-body entry-content" itemprop="description articleBody">&nbsp;</div><div class="post-body entry-content" itemprop="description articleBody">&nbsp;</div>Larry B. Grayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04891023045117835261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8586039420181458273.post-51868514413627352102014-07-07T15:37:00.000-04:002014-07-07T15:37:28.913-04:00Your Main Job Is To Make Me Look Good<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-EQjozsUy8oo/U7r1-iGkI6I/AAAAAAAACEs/8PaJeLYvUe8/s1600/Larry+5-11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-EQjozsUy8oo/U7r1-iGkI6I/AAAAAAAACEs/8PaJeLYvUe8/s1600/Larry+5-11.jpg" height="200" width="196" /></a></div><br /><br />When I think about the advice I have received from my various mentors one of the earliest was from a first line supervisor at Kraft Foods back in 1972. This is one of those words of advice that I still follow today. His name was Dick and he would tell me every chance he got:<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">“Your main job at this company is to make me look good.”</div><br />I used to laugh at him and continue doing my job, not paying much attention to him. Over time I began to realize what a golden nugget those words of advice were. I have tried to apply them to every company I have worked for and every position I have held in those companies. No matter how&nbsp;what your job&nbsp;is, applying these words of advice will make&nbsp;your job easier and your chances of success will improved.<br /><br />I apply this rule in both directions of the hierarchical chain of command by equally trying to make my boss look good to his boss and making the employees who work for me look good. By applying the rule in both directions I am the one who ultimately looks good.<br /><br />There are many benefits to be earned by making your boss look good. The most obvious is if your boss looks good to his superiors then he is more likely to get promoted out of your way and you can take his job. Another benefit of this approach is that your boss’s boss may notice your hard work and realize you are carrying the operation and again promote you in recognition of your effort. I have successfully used both of these tactics to gain a promotion on several occasions. <br /><br />When applying the rule in the other direction to those who report to you and making your direct reports look good there is nothing but positives to be gained. One of the first positive results are that you develop a sense of trust and respect among your employees. Having the trust and respect of your employees is an extremely important aspect of achieving success. I have seen good managers fail by not earning the respect and support of their employees. They can make your life miserable and sabotage all your efforts if they do not feel you support them. <br /><br />There are many ways to make your employees look good and they are easy to apply. One of the best is to offer training in all aspects of the job and helping prepare them for the next position or level by sharing your knowledge and expertise. Encourage them to share their ideas and motivate them to learn all they can about the operations. Most importantly give your employees the recognition they have earned for their efforts and share it with their fellow workers and to your superiors. Not only do you win the support of the employee being recognized but of all the other members of the team.<br /><br />Once you make your employees look good your superiors will notice and therefore you look good in their eyes. You will develop a reputation among your superiors as a good trainer and leader. Your employees will work hard to ensure you meet your goals when they know you are supporting them. One of my greatest achievements that I look back on, is the employees that I have helped encourage, train and develop for promotion. <br /><br />In both of the situations described I have helped create a positive leadership environment for the entire team. By making your boss look good, you look good which makes for a win-win situation. By making your employees look good, they will work to make you look good and once again you have created a win-win situation. This is a sign of true leadership; when all parties can achieve their goals and meet the companies goals together.<br /><br />Even as I write this advice I am following the words of my mentor because my goal as a leader is to “make you look good.”Larry B. Grayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04891023045117835261noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8586039420181458273.post-90208851927517751252014-02-20T10:56:00.000-05:002014-02-20T10:56:03.870-05:00CYA - The Basic Rule of Leadership<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-woz2xAfLP5I/UBlU6veZuiI/AAAAAAAAAvI/LPDIFiRYLaQ/s1600/11+Larry+Gray+7-5-07.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-woz2xAfLP5I/UBlU6veZuiI/AAAAAAAAAvI/LPDIFiRYLaQ/s200/11+Larry+Gray+7-5-07.JPG" height="200" width="150" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div align="center" style="text-align: center;">CYA – The Basic Rule of Leadership <o:p></o:p></div><br />While attending Florida Southern College I took a night class entitled “Industrial Psychology.” The teacher was a retired Vice President of Human Resources for a major international heavy equipment manufacturer. The first day of class he walked into the room, went to the blackboard and wrote in large letters “CYA”. He then told us if we did not learn anything else in his class we would learn what CYA meant.<o:p></o:p><br /><br />He went on to explain that in the real world of business this is one of the most important and basic rules to success and survival. Whether you find yourself in a positive or negative position, using CYA gives you an advantage over your competition. In all areas of business you needed to CYA or Cover Your Ass. <o:p></o:p><br /><br />Every class after that he wrote CYA on the board and left it up for the entire period. Then he taught the fundamentals of industrial psychology while weaving in his own personal experiences. Throughout the class he referred to the board and ask, "How can you apply CYA to this situation?" <o:p></o:p><br /><br />When broken down CYA involves two processes.<o:p></o:p><br /><br />1. Documentation<o:p></o:p><br /><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p><br /><br />2. Follow-up<o:p></o:p><br /><br /><u>Documentation<o:p></o:p></u><br /><br />Documentation is simply “put it in writing.” Whether it involves communication or an event, write down what was said and/or what happened. Too often not remembering exactly what happened or what was said results in a totally different outcome than what you expected.<o:p></o:p><br /><br />In a conversation what was heard by one party may not be what was said by the other. Often the conversation is held in a noisy or busy area with lots of distractions. Other times the conversation is held while one or both parties are in a hurry and there is no true communication occurring. <o:p></o:p><br /><br />To help avoid misunderstanding take notes during the conversation or as soon as possible after the conversation write down what was said. I have always carried a little note pad in my pocket to jot down memory notes to be used later to help retain or recap the conversation. Often when I get a few minutes I will send a note by email to the other party summarizing the conversation. This will also serve a record that we had the conversation.<o:p></o:p><br /><br />At times I have kept a business journal or log of my daily activities. This is a great tool for keeping notes on the day’s events and important communications. Several months later if you have to review an event you will be glad you have this information documented.<o:p></o:p><br /><br />Another good habit to get into is to save all correspondences in a file. You never know when you may need it. This is one of the great things about email. It is a written record and easy to save.<o:p></o:p><br /><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p><br /><o:p></o:p><u>Follow-up<o:p></o:p></u><br /><br />One of the phrases I hate to hear from one of my managers is, “I assumed ….” I was taught very early in my business career the old adage that when you assume, you make an “ass-u-me” and I get very upset when it happens to me. This can easily be avoided by learning to follow-up on events you are involved with.<o:p></o:p><br /><br />If you make an assignment don’t assume it will be done, follow-up.<o:p></o:p><br /><br />If you have assignments don’t assume you have done it correctly, follow-up.<o:p></o:p><br /><br />If you are involved in communication with another person don’t assume there is an understanding of what was said, follow-up.<o:p></o:p><br /><br />If you do anything, take the time to follow-up to insure it is done correctly. This extra step in your work process can eliminate a lot of wasted steps in the future.<o:p></o:p><br /><br />If you write it, proofread it, another form of follow-up. Years ago I asked my assistant to type a letter to the Vice President of Operations of the company I worked for telling him of the production record that was broken the previous night by our second shift team. She typed it up and brought in for me to sign and I did. <o:p></o:p><br /><br />Several days later I got a call from the VP asking if I had read the letter I had signed before I sent it. I learned a big lesson on follow-up that day. I pulled out my copy of the letter and read where she wrote, “The second shift set a new production standard for the operations.” The problem was she had left the “f” out of shift. Needless to say I now read what I sign.<o:p></o:p><br /><br />It may sound like you are being paranoid by keeping all of these notes and constantly checking up on people, but it is not. It is a valuable tool to help make you a better leader and manager. It will help you evaluate your past performance and help you make plans for future improvements. By applying CYA in all areas of your work you will reap the benefits.<o:p></o:p><br /><br />So, everyday “Cover Your Ass.”<o:p></o:p><br /><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><o:p>(First&nbsp;published April 2011)</o:p><br /><o:p></o:p><br /><o:p></o:p><br /><o:p></o:p><br /><o:p></o:p><br /><o:p></o:p>&nbsp;</div>Larry B. Grayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04891023045117835261noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8586039420181458273.post-58002166873286412782014-01-07T08:07:00.001-05:002014-01-07T08:07:34.343-05:00Interviewing: Asking the Right Questions – When Yes and No Is Not Enough <span style="font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">Have you ever finished an interview and realized you don’t know any more about the person or event than you did before you started. How would you rate the interview, pass or fail?<o:p></o:p></span></span><br /> <br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">Before I realized what I was doing wrong, this happened to me all too often. Whether you are interviewing a new employee candidate, a potential client in real estate, a service provider professional or your children, the type of questions you ask will determine the answers you get.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">Early on in my career I learned there is a simple solution to this problem. The key to a successful interview is not to ask “yes or no” questions. Simple, but listen to yourself the next time you interview someone.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">If you ask only yes or no questions you will only get yes or no answers. When I am on the other side of the table I have been taught not to provide too much information and I love yes and no questions. All I have to do is answer the question and I have provided the interviewer with exactly what he asked, albeit not what he may have wanted.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">Never ask a yes and no question, always ask for more information, opinions, descriptions, explanations, etc.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">Let’s look at some examples:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">A. Have you ever been terminated or laid off from a job?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">B. Explain why you left your last 3 places of employment?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: x-small;">&nbsp;</span></o:p></span></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">A. Do you want to sell your house?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">B. Why do you want to sell your house?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: x-small;">&nbsp;</span></o:p></span></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">A. Did you see the accident occur?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">B. What did you see happen?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: x-small;">&nbsp;</span></o:p></span></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">A. Can you cut down the tree in my yard?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">B. How would you cut down this tree hanging over my house?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: x-small;">&nbsp;</span></o:p></span></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">A. Did you kick your brother?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">B. Why did you kick you brother?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: x-small;">&nbsp;</span></o:p></span></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">Even though these are simple examples you can see where in each case the “B” question will provide you with a better picture and more information from which you can form an opinion.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">Yes this is a simple solution but as I said earlier listen to the questions you ask and I believe you will be amazed at how many are yes and no questions. I still have to watch myself to avoid this trap and practice it every day. When I do it right it makes my job a lot easier and successful.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;"></span></span>&nbsp;</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;"></span></span>&nbsp;</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;"></span></span>&nbsp;</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;"></span></span>&nbsp;</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;"></span></span>&nbsp;</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;"></span></span>&nbsp;</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;"></span></span>&nbsp;</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;"></span></span>&nbsp;</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;"></span></span>&nbsp;</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;"><o:p></o:p></span></span>&nbsp;</div>Larry B. Grayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04891023045117835261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8586039420181458273.post-44294217567466802732013-12-23T12:23:00.003-05:002013-12-23T12:26:47.186-05:00Michael J. Webb Reviews Naked Eyes - Poetry of Youth<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aTO2x5Cl8qo/UrhwHDkCdyI/AAAAAAAAB1Q/_l12Z1sgccs/s1600/Naked+Eyes+Cover+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aTO2x5Cl8qo/UrhwHDkCdyI/AAAAAAAAB1Q/_l12Z1sgccs/s200/Naked+Eyes+Cover+1.jpg" width="154" /></a></div><br /><br /><div class="ecxMsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #1f497d;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">A New Review of :</span></span></div><div class="ecxMsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #1f497d;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Naked Eyes - Poetry of Youth</span></span></div><div class="ecxMsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #1f497d;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></span>&nbsp;</div><div class="ecxMsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #1f497d;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></span>&nbsp;</div><div class="ecxMsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #1f497d;"></span><span style="color: #1f497d;"></span><span style="clear: left; float: left; font-family: &quot;Verdana&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></span><b><span style="font-family: &quot;Verdana&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;"></span></b><b><span style="font-family: &quot;Verdana&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;"></span></b><br /></div><div class="ecxMsoNormal"><span style="font-family: &quot;Verdana&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/" rel="nofollow"><img alt="didn't like it " class="star" height="15" id="star11530953_0" src="http://www.goodreads.com/assets/layout/gr_orange_star_active.png" title="didn't like it" width="15" /></a><a href="http://www.blogger.com/" rel="nofollow"><img alt="didn't like it " class="star" height="15" id="star11530953_0" src="http://www.goodreads.com/assets/layout/gr_orange_star_active.png" title="didn't like it" width="15" /></a><a href="http://www.blogger.com/" rel="nofollow"><img alt="didn't like it " class="star" height="15" id="star11530953_0" src="http://www.goodreads.com/assets/layout/gr_orange_star_active.png" title="didn't like it" width="15" /></a><a href="http://www.blogger.com/" rel="nofollow"><img alt="didn't like it " class="star" height="15" id="star11530953_0" src="http://www.goodreads.com/assets/layout/gr_orange_star_active.png" title="didn't like it" width="15" /></a><a href="http://www.blogger.com/" rel="nofollow"><img alt="didn't like it " class="star" height="15" id="star11530953_0" src="http://www.goodreads.com/assets/layout/gr_orange_star_active.png" title="didn't like it" width="15" /></a></span></div><div class="ecxMsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: &quot;Verdana&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;"></span></b>&nbsp;</div><div class="ecxMsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: &quot;Verdana&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;">Days of Future Past</span></b><span style="font-family: &quot;Verdana&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;">, December 23, 2013 </span></div><div class="ecxMsoNormal"><span style="font-family: &quot;Verdana&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;">By&nbsp;<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/r.html?R=1FITYOGIK3L46&amp;C=1B2PHWM40SXYM&amp;H=W5MVSLJNZYG3WUMB4UGQHG0E9AGA&amp;T=C&amp;U=http://www.amazon.com/gp/pdp/profile/APLLX94UKN2HI?ref_%3Dpe_620760_65501210" target="_blank"><b><span style="color: #f26100;">Michael J. Webb</span></b></a> (Charlotte, NC)&nbsp;</span><span style="font-family: &quot;Verdana&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;">&nbsp;&nbsp; </span></div><div class="ecxMsoNormal"><b><span style="color: #e47911; font-family: &quot;Verdana&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 10pt;">This review is from: </span></b><b><span style="font-family: &quot;Verdana&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 10pt;">Naked Eyes - Poetry of Youth (Kindle Edition)</span></b><span style="font-family: &quot;Verdana&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 10pt;"> </span></div><div class="ecxMsoNormal"><span style="font-family: &quot;Verdana&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;">Reading Gray's poetry is like opening a time capsule of thought, feelings, and emotions. It resurrects vivid memories if of the past and foreshadows expectations of the future. Definitely worth the read, and worth revisiting from time to time as remembrance fades. To paraphrase a famous song from the period, Naked Eyes reminds me of "Knights in white satin, poems I've written, never meaning to send . . ."</span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana;"></span><br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00G04D32C/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;creativeASIN=B00G04D32C&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;tag=abofrdoea-20"><strong>Click Here</strong> to order your copy of Naked Eyes from amazon.com</a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />&nbsp;</div>Larry B. Grayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04891023045117835261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8586039420181458273.post-73157433776868344092013-11-04T16:03:00.002-05:002014-03-18T08:39:49.553-04:00Latest Reviews from Amazon.com for Naked Eyes - Poetry of Youth by Larry B. Gray<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OVOAdnB8bAQ/UngJ4fAdW1I/AAAAAAAABqw/HSCb0X4iEK0/s1600/Naked+Eyes+Cover+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OVOAdnB8bAQ/UngJ4fAdW1I/AAAAAAAABqw/HSCb0X4iEK0/s320/Naked+Eyes+Cover+1.jpg" height="320" width="247" /></a></div><br /><strong><span style="font-size: large;">Latest Reviews from Amazon.com for <u>Naked Eyes - Poetry of Youth</u> by Larry B. Gray</span></strong><br /><strong><span style="font-size: large;"></span></strong><br /><div align="center"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00G04D32C/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;creativeASIN=B00G04D32C&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;tag=abofrdoea-20"><strong>Click Here to order your copy today.</strong></a>﻿</div><br /><br /><br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="productReviews"><tbody><tr><td width="90%"><div style="margin-left: 0.5em;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0.5em;">&nbsp;</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0.5em;"><span style="margin-right: 5px;"><span class="swSprite s_star_5_0 " title="5.0 out of 5 stars">5.0 out of 5 stars</span> </span><span style="vertical-align: middle;"><b>Collection of Inspiring Poems</b>, <nobr>November 2, 2013</nobr></span> </div><div style="margin-bottom: 0.5em;"><div><div style="float: left;">By&nbsp;</div><div style="float: left;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/pdp/profile/A95V708TWNWPG/ref=cm_cr_pr_pdp"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Chris</span></a> -</div></div><div style="clear: both;"></div></div><div class="tiny" style="margin-bottom: 0.5em;">&nbsp;</div><div class="tiny" style="margin-bottom: 0.5em;"><b><span class="h3color tiny">This review is from: </span>Naked Eyes - Poetry of Youth (Kindle Edition)</b> </div>Reading this inspiring, thought-provoking collection of poems gives you a glimpse of the author's life experiences and his heart and emotions as a young man. These are extremely well written, creative and expressive poems. I could relate to many things he was feeling in these poems. I really enjoyed reading this book and I highly recommend it! </div><!-- BOUNDARY --><a href="http://draft.blogger.com/null" name="R28EA18THGY22S"></a><br /><div style="margin-left: 0.5em;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0.5em;">&nbsp;</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0.5em;"><span style="margin-right: 5px;"><span class="swSprite s_star_5_0 " title="5.0 out of 5 stars">5.0 out of 5 stars</span> </span><span style="vertical-align: middle;"><b>Poetry to Make You Think</b>, <nobr>October 29, 2013</nobr></span> </div><div style="margin-bottom: 0.5em;"><div><div style="float: left;">By&nbsp;</div><div style="float: left;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/pdp/profile/AMCZG7SYSJF2N/ref=cm_cr_pr_pdp"><span style="font-weight: bold;">C. Brown "writer"</span></a> <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html/ref=cm_rn_bdg_help?ie=UTF8&amp;nodeId=14279681&amp;pop-up=1#RN" target="AmazonHelp"><span class="cmtySprite s_BadgeRealName ">)</span></a> &nbsp;&nbsp; </div></div><div style="clear: both;"></div></div><div class="tiny" style="margin-bottom: 0.5em;"><b><span class="h3color tiny">This review is from: </span>Naked Eyes - Poetry of Youth (Kindle Edition)</b> </div>Thought provoking and interesting, these poems will give you glimpses into several different realms of life from love to death, from darkness to light. It's a great little book that will create a sense of peace and calm while relaxing in the evenings. I recommend this book! </div><!-- BOUNDARY --><a href="http://draft.blogger.com/null" name="RV7F5SNALFXJK"></a><br /><div style="margin-left: 0.5em;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0.5em;">&nbsp;</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0.5em;"><span style="margin-right: 5px;"><span class="swSprite s_star_5_0 " title="5.0 out of 5 stars"></span></span><br /><span style="margin-right: 5px;"><span class="swSprite s_star_5_0 " title="5.0 out of 5 stars">5.0 out of 5 stars</span> </span><span style="vertical-align: middle;"><b>Treasure from youth.</b>, <nobr>October 21, 2013</nobr></span> </div><div style="margin-bottom: 0.5em;"><div><div style="float: left;">By&nbsp;</div><div style="float: left;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/pdp/profile/A1CLCVLHJMNDZY/ref=cm_cr_pr_pdp"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Chris Ammann</span></a> (Valrico FL) </div></div><div style="clear: both;"></div></div><div class="tiny" style="margin-bottom: 0.5em;"><b><span class="h3color tiny">This review is from: </span>Naked Eyes - Poetry of Youth (Kindle Edition)</b> </div>Naked Eyes by Larry B. Gray is a true time capsule of 1970. This collection of poems shows a young Larry B. Gray pondering everything most intelligent young men do as they cross from adolescence to adulthood. Love, hate, war and death all come into play. I personally found myself again and again identifying with the words of the young Larry B. Gray and wished I had written many of them. Kept in the time frame of the turbulent late 60's and early 70's and it is to see these timeless poems as the treasure they are. In closing I could have included many of the passages to illustrate my point here but I left them out as not to spoil the reader's joy of discovery as I had.<br /><br />Sincerely Chris Ammann<br />To be clear I was given a copy of Naked Eyes but the review is true and honest. </div><!-- BOUNDARY --><a href="http://draft.blogger.com/null" name="R4VYBIQL6K6WL"></a><br /><div style="margin-left: 0.5em;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0.5em;"><span style="margin-right: 5px;"><span class="swSprite s_star_5_0 " title="5.0 out of 5 stars"></span></span><br /><span style="margin-right: 5px;"><span class="swSprite s_star_5_0 " title="5.0 out of 5 stars"></span></span><br /><span style="margin-right: 5px;"><span class="swSprite s_star_5_0 " title="5.0 out of 5 stars"></span></span><br /><span style="margin-right: 5px;"><span class="swSprite s_star_5_0 " title="5.0 out of 5 stars"></span></span><br /><span style="margin-right: 5px;"><span class="swSprite s_star_5_0 " title="5.0 out of 5 stars">5.0 out of 5 stars</span> </span><span style="vertical-align: middle;"><b>A Fun Collection</b>, <nobr>October 31, 2013</nobr></span> </div><div style="margin-bottom: 0.5em;"><div><div style="float: left;">By&nbsp;</div><div style="float: left;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/pdp/profile/A2BBH1PQ4B41XW/ref=cm_cr_pr_pdp"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Martin Roth</span></a> </div></div><div style="clear: both;"></div></div><div class="tiny" style="margin-bottom: 0.5em;"><b><span class="h3color tiny">This review is from: </span>Naked Eyes - Poetry of Youth (Kindle Edition)</b> </div>I too used to write poems as a young man in the 1970s, though none of mine survive. Larry Gray kept his and has now published them, and they make an intriguing record of a young man of that era, his likes and doubts and dreams and fears. Some have an air of mystery, such as the intriguing "The Mystic Morning God," which I especially liked. This is a fun collection that brought back to me many memories of my own youthful life and my attempts to capture it in verse. I wish I had kept my writings.<br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00G04D32C/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;creativeASIN=B00G04D32C&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;tag=abofrdoea-20"><strong><span style="font-size: large;">Click Here to order your copy of Naked Eyes from Amazon.com</span></strong></a><br /><br /><br /><div style="clear: both; padding-top: 10px; width: 100%;"><div style="clear: both;">&nbsp;&nbsp;</div><div style="clear: both;">&nbsp;</div><div style="clear: both;">&nbsp;</div><div style="clear: both;">&nbsp;</div><div style="clear: both;">&nbsp;</div><div style="clear: both;">&nbsp;</div><div style="clear: both;">&nbsp;</div><div style="clear: both;">&nbsp;</div></div></div></td><td width="10%"></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Larry B. Grayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04891023045117835261noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8586039420181458273.post-19499633510764740032013-10-15T13:19:00.000-04:002013-10-19T08:16:01.012-04:00Naked Eyes - Poetry of Youth by Larry B. Gray<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-lHP68_s-fK8/Ul14fzvO1pI/AAAAAAAABns/WeRoK1NVuO4/s1600/Naked+Eyes+Cover+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-lHP68_s-fK8/Ul14fzvO1pI/AAAAAAAABns/WeRoK1NVuO4/s320/Naked+Eyes+Cover+1.jpg" width="247" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div align="center">Now Available From Amazon.com and Smashwords.com</div><div align="center">&nbsp;</div><div align="center">&nbsp;</div><div align="center"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Naked Eyes</span></div><div align="center">&nbsp;</div><div align="center"><span style="font-size: large;">Poetry of Youth</span> </div><div align="center">&nbsp;</div><div align="center">&nbsp;</div><div align="center"><span style="font-size: large;">by Larry B. Gray</span></div><div align="center">&nbsp;</div><div align="center">&nbsp;</div><div align="center">&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">The late sixties and early seventies was a time of change in our world. The belief that everything was perfect was coming to an end. America was bogged down in an unpopular war in Vietnam which for the first time was broadcast nightly into everyone’s living room via TV. Between the anti-war demonstrations and the civil rights movement, political unrest was rampant. Drug use was widespread as people tried to “turn on, tune in and drop out.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">The poems in this collection follow no central theme and are random glimpses of my thoughts during this time of coming of age. Each poem has the date that it was written printed at the top of the page and reflects my little world and how I felt at that time.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: left;">&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: left;">&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: left;">&nbsp;<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00G04D32C/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;creativeASIN=B00G04D32C&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;tag=abofrdoea-20"><span style="font-size: large;"><strong>Click Here</strong> to order your copy of Naked Eyes from Amazon.com</span></a></div><div style="text-align: left;">&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: left;">&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/367685"><span style="font-size: large;"><strong>Click Here</strong> to order your copy of Naked Eyes from Smashwords.com</span></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span>&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span>&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span>&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span>&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span>&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span>&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span>&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">﻿</span></div><br />Larry B. Grayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04891023045117835261noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8586039420181458273.post-84758529656675928602013-08-05T15:08:00.001-04:002013-08-05T15:09:16.226-04:00All I Really Need to Know - A Reminder<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 14px; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" height="260" src="http://activerain.com/image_store/uploads/5/9/4/6/7/ar137572946376495.jpg" width="219" />&nbsp;</span></div><br /><br />Every so often I have to re-read this poem to help remind me of the real world and what is important. I hope you enjoy.<br /><br /><br /><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><strong><span style="color: #040404; font-size: 18pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">All I Really Need To Know<br /> I Learned In Kindergarten</span></span></strong></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 12pt;"><strong><span style="color: #040404;"><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: small;">by Robert Fulghum</span></span></strong><span style="color: #040404;"><br /></span><br /><strong><span style="color: #040404; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">- an excerpt from the book, All I Really Need To Know I Learned in Kindergarten <br /></span></span></strong></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><strong><span style="color: #040404; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">All I really need to know I learned in kindergarten.<br /> ALL I REALLY NEED TO KNOW about how to live and what to do <br /> and how to be I learned in kindergarten. Wisdom was not <br /> at the top of the graduate-school mountain, but there in the <br /> sandpile at Sunday School. These are the things I learned:</span></span></strong></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><strong><span style="color: #040404; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /><span style="font-family: Georgia;"><br /> Share everything. <br /><br /> Play fair. <br /><br /> Don't hit people. <br /><br /> Put things back where you found them. <br /><br /> Clean up your own mess. <br /><br /> Don't take things that aren't yours. <br /><br /> Say you're sorry when you hurt somebody. <br /><br /> Wash your hands before you eat. <br /><br /> Flush. <br /><br /> Warm cookies and cold milk are good for you. <br /><br /> Live a balanced life - learn some and think some<br /> and draw and paint and sing and dance and play <br /> and work every day some. <br /><br /> Take a nap every afternoon. <br /><br /> When you go out into the world, watch out for traffic, <br /> hold hands, and stick together. <br /><br /> Be aware of wonder.<br /> Remember the little seed in the styrofoam cup: <br /> The roots go down and the plant goes up and nobody <br /> really knows how or why, but we are all like that. <br /><br /> Goldfish and hamsters and white mice and even <br /> the little seed in the Styrofoam cup - they all die. <br /> So do we. <br /><br /> And then remember the Dick-and-Jane books <br /> and the first word you learned - the biggest<br /> word of all - LOOK. <br /><br /><br /><br /> Everything you need to know is in there somewhere. <br /> The Golden Rule and love and basic sanitation.<br /> Ecology and politics and equality and sane living. <br /><br /> Take any of those items and extrapolate it into <br /> sophisticated adult terms and apply it to your <br /> family life or your work or your government or<br /> your world and it holds true and clear and firm. <br /> Think what a better world it would be if <br /> all - the whole world - had cookies and milk about <br /> three o'clock every afternoon and then lay down with<br /> our blankies for a nap. Or if all governments <br /> had a basic policy to always put thing back where <br /> they found them and to clean up their own mess. <br /><br /> And it is still true, no matter how old you<br /> are - when you go out into the world, it is best <br /> to hold hands and stick together.</span></span></strong></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">&nbsp;</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">&nbsp;</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">&nbsp;</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">&nbsp;</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">&nbsp;</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">&nbsp;</div>Larry B. Grayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04891023045117835261noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8586039420181458273.post-79211163203992245122013-08-03T07:41:00.000-04:002013-08-03T07:46:13.260-04:00A Saturday Morning Thought - Social Media<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-c0fT4gqi4p4/Ufzr60VCUyI/AAAAAAAABek/zVoWcUNQuEE/s1600/My+Lap+Dogs+7-20-2013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-c0fT4gqi4p4/Ufzr60VCUyI/AAAAAAAABek/zVoWcUNQuEE/s320/My+Lap+Dogs+7-20-2013.jpg" width="254" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">&nbsp;</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">&nbsp;</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Walking Daisy (a pug) and Duke (a golden retriever) this morning I realized how addicted Daisy is to social meadow. Duke was so interested in looking around and learning about nature and the world around him, always on the move. Daisy, on the other hand, had to stop every few feet and check her p-mail and often leaving a reply.</div><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">I am always amazed when God decides to send a message about life through simple everyday occurrence.</div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />.Larry B. Grayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04891023045117835261noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8586039420181458273.post-80769721920800033032013-07-27T11:32:00.000-04:002013-07-27T11:32:49.823-04:00Because it's a Nice Day<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-y7E_8qLQbb4/UfPmtddwLQI/AAAAAAAABdk/D0z_DyYufAw/s1600/My+Lap+Dogs+7-20-2013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-y7E_8qLQbb4/UfPmtddwLQI/AAAAAAAABdk/D0z_DyYufAw/s320/My+Lap+Dogs+7-20-2013.jpg" width="254" /></a></div><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><strong>"Say, Pooh, why aren't you busy?" I said.</strong></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><strong>"Because it's a nice day," said Pooh.</strong></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><strong>"But you could be doing something Important," I said.</strong></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><strong>"I am," said Pooh.</strong></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><strong>"Oh? Doing what?"</strong></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><strong>"Listening,"he said.</strong></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><strong>"Listening to what?"</strong></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><strong>"To the birds. And that squirrel over there."</strong></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><strong>"What are they saying?" I asked.</strong></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><strong>"That it's a nice day," said Pooh.</strong></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><strong>"But you know that already," I said.</strong></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><strong>"Yes, but it's always good to hear that somebody else thinks so, too," he said.</strong></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><strong>From The Tao of Pooh</strong></span></div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Larry B. Grayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04891023045117835261noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8586039420181458273.post-73463720084607955002013-07-18T15:57:00.000-04:002013-07-18T15:57:11.263-04:00Advice From My Mentor - Bad Employees<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nx9vz2gvcnw/UehIAz8tz5I/AAAAAAAABcE/7rMQ6wLhRNI/s1600/309215_1492389047426_7360123_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nx9vz2gvcnw/UehIAz8tz5I/AAAAAAAABcE/7rMQ6wLhRNI/s1600/309215_1492389047426_7360123_n.jpg" /></a></div><div align="center">﻿</div><br /><div class="post-header"><div class="post-header-line-1"></div></div><div class="post-body entry-content" id="post-body-3047594789793487643" itemprop="description articleBody">Throughout my career I have had lots of people give me words of advice on how to enhance my career and how to be a better manager. Some of it has gone in one ear and out the other but a lot of the advice has been beneficial and helped my career and management development. Here is one of those great words of wisdom that has stuck with me over the years.<br /><br />“There is no such thing as a bad employee, only bad supervisors!”<br /><br />In the 1970’s I was working for Kraft Foods and starting my career in management as a first line supervisor. The plant manager for that facility, Tony, was one of my mentors that I still find myself quoting all the time. This was one of his favorite Tonyism’s, my term for his sayings, that he would tell the supervisors every time they brought up an employee issue.<br /><br />I remember getting so mad when he said this to me because I had come to him looking for a solution, not to hear how bad of a supervisor I was. Fortunately he was very understanding and would sit and talk me through the issue. I soon came to realize this was his whole point in making the statement, to get me to think and work through the issue.<br /><br />Over the years I began to understand the deep meaning of the statement and began applying it to my management skill set. There are two broad lessons that can be learned from this statement.<br /><br />The first is that new employees do not come to work on their first day with the preconceived notion that “I am here to goof-off and cause trouble.” They come to work with high hopes and optimism of doing a fair days work for a fair days wage. They are taught, on the job, how to be a bad employee. No, this is not part of their orientation or part of the supervisor’s training program, but it is there. They learn it from the attitude of other employees and the general work ethic of the facility. <br /><br />How does this apply to management? When management allows a negative environment to foster in a work place then they are responsible for the outcome, thus it is not due to bad employees but to bad supervision. Address issues and do not let them grow and take root in your organization and you will find you have fewer “bad employees.”<br /><br />The second lesson to be learned, from this Tonyism, is associated with the first and that is to take action. If an employee starts to have performance issues it is up to the supervisor to address the issue with the employee and not let it continue to grow worse. Most performance issues have a root-cause that may or may not be associated with the job. By addressing the issue early and helping the employee see the problems that are occurring; you may be able to uncover the root-cause and to turn the performance issue around with minimal intervention. One thing I have learned over the years is ignoring issues will not cause them to go away.<br /><br />Our job as managers is to develop employees and help them achieve their work related goals. By working with our employees we can develop a positive and productive work relationship that will be beneficial to both the employee and the organization. Also, remember it is hard to achieve your goals without the willing and positive support of your staff; they can make or break you.<br /><br />Throughout the years I have found myself using the same statements that my mentors would say to me in various business situations. Now I have an advantage in that I know they work and have benefits in all areas of business life. </div><div class="post-body entry-content" itemprop="description articleBody">&nbsp;</div><div class="post-body entry-content" itemprop="description articleBody">&nbsp;</div><div class="post-body entry-content" itemprop="description articleBody">&nbsp;</div><div class="post-body entry-content" itemprop="description articleBody">&nbsp;</div><div class="post-body entry-content" itemprop="description articleBody">&nbsp;</div>Larry B. Grayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04891023045117835261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8586039420181458273.post-60088053904736448912013-07-04T07:00:00.000-04:002013-07-04T07:00:10.856-04:00July 4th - The Reason We Celebrate<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Ir5HbAQPE2s/UdVVDqZlcZI/AAAAAAAABaI/v-TmTRHYrt4/s599/Us_declaration_independence.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Ir5HbAQPE2s/UdVVDqZlcZI/AAAAAAAABaI/v-TmTRHYrt4/s320/Us_declaration_independence.jpg" width="269" /></a></div><div class="heading" style="text-align: center;">&nbsp;</div><div class="heading" style="text-align: center;">&nbsp;</div><div class="heading" style="text-align: center;">IN CONGRESS, July 4, 1776.</div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America,</b></div><br />When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.<br /> <br />We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.--That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, --That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.--Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government. The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world.<br /> <br /><blockquote>He has refused his Assent to Laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good.<br />He has forbidden his Governors to pass Laws of immediate and pressing importance, unless suspended in their operation till his Assent should be obtained; and when so suspended, he has utterly neglected to attend to them.<br />He has refused to pass other Laws for the accommodation of large districts of people, unless those people would relinquish the right of Representation in the Legislature, a right inestimable to them and formidable to tyrants only. <br />He has called together legislative bodies at places unusual, uncomfortable, and distant from the depository of their public Records, for the sole purpose of fatiguing them into compliance with his measures. <br />He has dissolved Representative Houses repeatedly, for opposing with manly firmness his invasions on the rights of the people.<br />He has refused for a long time, after such dissolutions, to cause others to be elected; whereby the Legislative powers, incapable of Annihilation, have returned to the People at large for their exercise; the State remaining in the mean time exposed to all the dangers of invasion from without, and convulsions within.<br />He has endeavoured to prevent the population of these States; for that purpose obstructing the Laws for Naturalization of Foreigners; refusing to pass others to encourage their migrations hither, and raising the conditions of new Appropriations of Lands.<br />He has obstructed the Administration of Justice, by refusing his Assent to Laws for establishing Judiciary powers.<br />He has made Judges dependent on his Will alone, for the tenure of their offices, and the amount and payment of their salaries.<br />He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harrass our people, and eat out their substance.<br />He has kept among us, in times of peace, Standing Armies without the Consent of our legislatures.<br />He has affected to render the Military independent of and superior to the Civil power.<br />He has combined with others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to our constitution, and unacknowledged by our laws; giving his Assent to their Acts of pretended Legislation:<br />For Quartering large bodies of armed troops among us:<br />For protecting them, by a mock Trial, from punishment for any Murders which they should commit on the Inhabitants of these States:<br />For cutting off our Trade with all parts of the world:<br />For imposing Taxes on us without our Consent: <br />For depriving us in many cases, of the benefits of Trial by Jury:<br />For transporting us beyond Seas to be tried for pretended offences<br />For abolishing the free System of English Laws in a neighbouring Province, establishing therein an Arbitrary government, and enlarging its Boundaries so as to render it at once an example and fit instrument for introducing the same absolute rule into these Colonies:<br />For taking away our Charters, abolishing our most valuable Laws, and altering fundamentally the Forms of our Governments:<br />For suspending our own Legislatures, and declaring themselves invested with power to legislate for us in all cases whatsoever.<br />He has abdicated Government here, by declaring us out of his Protection and waging War against us.<br />He has plundered our seas, ravaged our Coasts, burnt our towns, and destroyed the lives of our people. <br />He is at this time transporting large Armies of foreign Mercenaries to compleat the works of death, desolation and tyranny, already begun with circumstances of Cruelty &amp; perfidy scarcely paralleled in the most barbarous ages, and totally unworthy the Head of a civilized nation.<br />He has constrained our fellow Citizens taken Captive on the high Seas to bear Arms against their Country, to become the executioners of their friends and Brethren, or to fall themselves by their Hands. <br />He has excited domestic insurrections amongst us, and has endeavoured to bring on the inhabitants of our frontiers, the merciless Indian Savages, whose known rule of warfare, is an undistinguished destruction of all ages, sexes and conditions.</blockquote><br />In every stage of these Oppressions We have Petitioned for Redress in the most humble terms: Our repeated Petitions have been answered only by repeated injury. A Prince whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people.<br /> <br />Nor have We been wanting in attentions to our Brittish brethren. We have warned them from time to time of attempts by their legislature to extend an unwarrantable jurisdiction over us. We have reminded them of the circumstances of our emigration and settlement here. We have appealed to their native justice and magnanimity, and we have conjured them by the ties of our common kindred to disavow these usurpations, which, would inevitably interrupt our connections and correspondence. They too have been deaf to the voice of justice and of consanguinity. We must, therefore, acquiesce in the necessity, which denounces our Separation, and hold them, as we hold the rest of mankind, Enemies in War, in Peace Friends.<br /> <br />We, therefore, the Representatives of the united States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare, That these United Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States; that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as Free and Independent States, they have full Power to levy War, conclude Peace, contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all other Acts and Things which Independent States may of right do. And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.<br /> <br /><hr noshade="" size="1" /> <br /><i>The 56 signatures on the Declaration appear in the positions indicated:</i><br /> <br /><span class="heading">Column 1</span><br /><b>Georgia:</b><br /> Button Gwinnett<br /> Lyman Hall<br /> George Walton<br /> <br /><span class="heading">Column 2</span><br /><b>North Carolina:</b><br /> William Hooper<br /> Joseph Hewes<br /> John Penn<br /><b>South Carolina:</b><br /> Edward Rutledge<br /> Thomas Heyward, Jr.<br /> Thomas Lynch, Jr.<br /> Arthur Middleton<br /> <br /><span class="heading">Column 3</span><br /><b>Massachusetts:</b><br />John Hancock<br /><b>Maryland:</b><br />Samuel Chase<br />William Paca<br />Thomas Stone<br />Charles Carroll of Carrollton<br /><b>Virginia:</b><br />George Wythe<br />Richard Henry Lee<br />Thomas Jefferson<br />Benjamin Harrison<br />Thomas Nelson, Jr.<br />Francis Lightfoot Lee<br />Carter Braxton<br /> <br /><span class="heading">Column 4</span><br /><b>Pennsylvania:</b><br /> Robert Morris<br /> Benjamin Rush<br /> Benjamin Franklin<br /> John Morton<br /> George Clymer<br /> James Smith<br /> George Taylor<br /> James Wilson<br /> George Ross<br /><b>Delaware:</b><br /> Caesar Rodney<br /> George Read<br /> Thomas McKean<br /> <br /><span class="heading">Column 5</span><br /><b>New York:</b><br /> William Floyd<br /> Philip Livingston<br /> Francis Lewis<br /> Lewis Morris<br /><b>New Jersey:</b><br /> Richard Stockton<br /> John Witherspoon<br /> Francis Hopkinson<br /> John Hart<br /> Abraham Clark<br /> <br /><span class="heading">Column 6</span><br /><b>New Hampshire:</b><br /> Josiah Bartlett<br /> William Whipple<br /><b>Massachusetts:</b><br /> Samuel Adams<br /> John Adams<br /> Robert Treat Paine<br /> Elbridge Gerry<br /><b>Rhode Island:</b><br /> Stephen Hopkins<br /> William Ellery<br /><b>Connecticut:</b><br /> Roger Sherman<br /> Samuel Huntington<br /> William Williams<br /> Oliver Wolcott<br /><b>New Hampshire:</b><br /> Matthew Thornton<br /><br /><br /><br />Larry B. Grayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04891023045117835261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8586039420181458273.post-27600233048691302602013-06-14T11:17:00.001-04:002013-06-14T11:17:44.604-04:00New Book Cover -- Problem Solving: Dealing With Employee Issues by Larry B. Gray<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ePgwhCr-dQg/UbszKQDOibI/AAAAAAAABX0/eMcTdIgDGjk/s1600/New+Cover+6-13-13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ePgwhCr-dQg/UbszKQDOibI/AAAAAAAABX0/eMcTdIgDGjk/s320/New+Cover+6-13-13.jpg" width="247" /></a></div><div align="center">﻿</div><br /><span class="userContent"><span style="font-size: large;"><strong>My new book cover for Problem Solving - Dealing with Employee Issues. Available on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Smashwords, Kobo, and many other ebook websites.</strong></span></span><br /><span class="userContent"><span style="font-size: large;"><strong></strong></span></span><br /><span class="userContent"><span style="font-size: large;"><strong></strong></span></span><br /><span class="userContent"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B006T1XC6S/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;creativeASIN=B006T1XC6S&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;tag=abofrdoea-20"><span style="font-size: large;"><strong>Click Here to order your copy of Problem Solving from Amazon.</strong></span></a></span><br /><span class="userContent"><span style="font-size: large;"><strong></strong></span></span><br /><span class="userContent"><span style="font-size: large;"><strong></strong></span></span><br /><span class="userContent"><a href="http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/148680"><span style="font-size: large;"><strong>No Kindle - No Problem -- Click Here to order your version from Smashwords</strong></span></a></span><br /><span class="userContent"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span><br /><span class="userContent"></span><br /><span class="userContent"></span><br /><span class="userContent"></span><br /><span class="userContent"></span><br />Larry B. Grayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04891023045117835261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8586039420181458273.post-90037247216142103792013-06-13T14:30:00.000-04:002013-06-13T14:30:51.864-04:00Your Name Badge – A Public Service Announcement<div align="center">﻿</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-VusmymXIzyk/UboPSZGxnTI/AAAAAAAABXU/C7n3dHA75N4/s1600/Flo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-VusmymXIzyk/UboPSZGxnTI/AAAAAAAABXU/C7n3dHA75N4/s1600/Flo.jpg" /></a></div><br /><br /><div align="center">﻿</div>Have you ever watched business people get out of their cars at their local grocery store and quickly remove their name badge? Or, have you gone to lunch with other sales people in your group and had them remove their badge before going into the restaurant? This never ceases to amaze me. Are they&nbsp;embarassed by&nbsp;who they are and what they do?<br /><br />Name badges are one of the best and least expensive means of self-branding and advertising available. Not only does it open the door for conversations and questions about your product and/or services, but it also serves to reinforce your name. For a few well spent dollars your name badge is publicly announcing who you are and what you do wherever you go.<br /><br />From my experience, in the past, as an automotive sales person and my present involvement in the real estate industry I can honestly state that a name badge can and will generate contacts and business for you. On numerous occasions I have had people come up to me and say, “You’re a real estate agent. Can you answer a question for me?” This simple opening has directly led to real estate listings opportunities and potential buyers.<br /><br />On another occasion, while having lunch at a local restaurant, a lady came up to me and said she noticed I worked at a local car dealership and she had a question to ask me. After answering the question I gave her my business card and asked her to come by and let me show her the model she liked. She showed up and I sold her the car.<br /><br />Would this have happened if I was ashamed of my badge and removed it before I went into the restaurant. No, it was the badge that provided the opening for the entire business transaction. There is a saying in real estate among agents, “Don’t be a secret agent”. If you want other people’s business you have to let them know who you are and what you have to offer.<br /><br />In order to succeed you have to go out and get the business. Self-promotion and advertising is one of the ways to do it. Your name badge is another tool which can make this happen.<br /><br />To re-cap, here are a few facts about name badge use.<br /><br />1. It will help a client remember your name and reinforce you as the expert.<br /><br />2. It is a conversation starter.<br /><br />3. It will bring you potential business and opportunities.<br /><br />4. It is inexpensive advertising with a high return on your investment.<br /><br /><br /><br />In order to maximize your success from wearing your name badge here are a few guidelines for name badge use.<br /><br /><div align="left" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">﻿</div>1. Buy a quality badge. A cheap badge is just that, a cheap badge, and reflects on you.<br /><br />2. Make sure it is easy to read.<br /><br /><ul><li>a. Not too large that it is obnoxious or so small you can’t read it.</li></ul><br /><ul><li>b. Not too congested with information. Just your company logo, your name and job title.</li></ul><br /><ul><li>c. Your name should be the most prominent feature.</li></ul><br /><ul><li>d. No fancy print or fonts. Clean, clear and concise.</li></ul><br />3. If you shake hands with your right hand, wear your name badge on your right chest.<br /><br />4. Make sure it is attached right side up and straight. Don’t laugh, it happens.<br /><br />5. Use common sense when not to wear your badge.<br /><br />6. Monogram clothing, shirts, jackets, sweater, and hats, are another way to get the effect in a more casual environment.<br /><br />Your business is all about name recognition and branding. The more you get your name out in front of the public the more likely they are to think of you when a need arises in their lives for your services. Whether it is print advertisements, internet use, business cards or name badges, each serves to remind people who you are and what you have to offer. <br /><br />Don’t keep your professional expertise a secret, flaunt it. Wear your name badge and let people know you are the expert in your profession and you’re there to help them. It works!<br /><br />Make your public service announcement today by wearing your name badge.<br /><br /><br />Larry B. Grayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04891023045117835261noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8586039420181458273.post-27973057773683912422013-05-24T12:55:00.001-04:002013-05-24T12:55:49.272-04:00Leaders Must Lead: The Three "F's" of Leadership<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sefUp2usZoA/UZ-a0SLBd3I/AAAAAAAABVM/WHybM872MTg/s1600/Success.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sefUp2usZoA/UZ-a0SLBd3I/AAAAAAAABVM/WHybM872MTg/s320/Success.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />There comes a point in every relationship, organization, business, and related activity when leaders must lead. The various teams have done their designing. The committees have reviewed it. Management has approved it. Now, it is time for leaders to take control and execute it. This is true whether we are talking about building a rocket ship or selling a house; once plans are made they have to be executed.<br /><br />Leaders are the people that make it happen. They execute the plans and insure the goals are met. Whether they are leaders of a large group of fellow associates or they are an individual performance leader, such as sales leader, they set the pace and standards of the job to be done. <br /><br />Leaders accomplish this through other people. A team leader will guide and direct his team insuring all the members maintain their focus on achieving the desired results. A sales leader will work with all parties of a transaction to insure they stay focused on making the transaction. The primary function of leadership in any situation involves working with and through other people to achieve the results of the goal.<br /><br />Working with and through other people can be challenging but that is why you are the leader. As a leader it is important to learn and apply the three F’s of leadership in all their work relationships and interactions with other people. A leader should treat everyone with respect by being:<br /><br />1. Fair<br /><br />2. Firm<br /><br />3. Frank<br /><br /><strong>Fair</strong><br /><br />Your reputation is one of the most important assets you have. How people perceive you will determine how willing they are to work with you. As a team leader a positive reputation will make your associates put out the extra effort needed to accomplish any goal. As a sales leader your reputation will bring business and clients to you.<br /><br />Being fair is simply treating all people the same. If people know they can trust you they will want to work with you. Be honest with all parties and work for a win-win solution to any problems that arise.<br /><br />Make time for all your associates and business partners. This will go a long way to helping you achieve the reputation of being fair. Showing favoritism in any business relationship can have strong negative consequences.<br /><br />Even in businesses where professional and corporate guidelines/rules appear to restrict your relationship with one party or the other in a business transaction you can still be fair in your actions. Be honest. If you cannot do something tell the party you cannot. By following the guidelines to the letter you are maintaining your fairness in the business relationship. Simply applying the rules equally to all parties with fairness and honesty helps you achieve your goals.<br /><br /><strong>Firm</strong><br /><br />In the old days when you said a leader was firm you meant he ruled with an iron fist. There are still times when a leader has to be strict but being firm means more than this. It means being a decisive leader, one who can make a decision and follow through with it.<br /><br />When being firm you need to stick to your principles and company policies/rules in all your business relationships. Don’t be indecisive when it comes to doing what is right or wrong. Let your principles and policies guide you in your decisions and how you implement actions. <br /><br />When you make a decision stick with it, don’t be wishy-washy about it. You are not a “yes person” but you are the leader and at times it is your job to make the hard choices that are necessary to accomplish the goal. <br /><br />Being firm also means when your decision or plans need to be changed you change them. But, you base the need to change on the facts needed to reach your goal. A good leader knows when and how to be flexible and adaptable.<br /><br />Be open the suggestion, ideas, guidance and advice. A good leader does not make decisions in a vacuum but in the end a good leader makes the decision. <br /><br /><strong>Frank</strong><br /><br />A good leader is an honest leader. His very principles demand truthfulness and honesty. He shares all the facts that he can with his team and/or clients to help them accomplish the goal. <br /><br />When working in a team environment a good leader deals with all situations with truthfulness whether with the team or an individual. If praise is justified he gives it honestly and freely. If correction is needed he handles it with the same frankness, dealing with facts.<br /><br />An individual leader such as a sales leader is frank with his associates and clients. He gives them all the facts, both good and bad, so they can make the best decision for their goals. <br /><br />By following the three “F’s” of leadership a good leader will find the interaction with fellow associates and clients easier and more rewarding. Developing a reputation of being fair, firm and frank in your business relationships will help move you from being a good leader to being a great leader.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Larry B. Grayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04891023045117835261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8586039420181458273.post-50076552791257352362013-04-11T08:55:00.001-04:002013-04-11T08:55:18.558-04:00 Dressing for a job Interview - What Not to Do<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-au2YTd3z9Fw/UWavwek95zI/AAAAAAAABRg/uGPwluf6qto/s1600/3+Cover+-+How+to+Find+a+Job.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-au2YTd3z9Fw/UWavwek95zI/AAAAAAAABRg/uGPwluf6qto/s320/3+Cover+-+How+to+Find+a+Job.jpg" width="247" /></a></div><br /> <br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Georgia&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Batang; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: Batang;">Go to a job interview with me wearing pants hanging around your knees or a dress and/or blouse that barely covers you; I will not hire you. Yes, I will give you a cursory interview, but you will not get the job. Call me old fashion or even prejudice if you like, but I believe there is a level of business decorum and respect that needs to be maintained in a work place no matter what the level or position. The interview is a way for you to demonstrate your professionalism. For more info get your copy of: How to Find a Job by Larry B. Gray. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Georgia&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Batang; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: Batang;"></span>&nbsp;</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Georgia&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Batang; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: Batang;"></span>&nbsp;</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Georgia&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Batang; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: Batang;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0069995C0/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;creativeASIN=B0069995C0&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;tag=abofrdoea-20">Click here to order your copy of How to Find a Job today from Amazon.</a></span></div><br />Larry B. Grayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04891023045117835261noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8586039420181458273.post-39654716396887612702013-04-06T12:08:00.001-04:002013-04-06T12:08:23.108-04:0056 SKIDMORE RD, WINTER HAVEN, FL 33884 $ $650,000 www.saragray.ismyreagent.com MLS#L4641774Check out this great listing and then call Sara Jane Gray at 863-232-2987 to schedule an appointment to see this fantastic opportunity in Winter Haven, Florida. <br /><br /><a href="http://saragray.ismyreagent.com/PropertyDetails?fl_hook=1695192800&amp;show_description=yes&amp;show_address=yes&amp;presented_by=&amp;show_virtual_tour=yes">56 SKIDMORE RD, WINTER HAVEN, FL 33884 $ $650,000 www.saragray.ismyreagent.com MLS#L4641774</a><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-KW2xdVTFea4/UWBH5XrlGBI/AAAAAAAABQw/8TmEFFX0Mm8/s1600/New+Front+View.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="250" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-KW2xdVTFea4/UWBH5XrlGBI/AAAAAAAABQw/8TmEFFX0Mm8/s320/New+Front+View.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--qzoh5QZeJA/UWBH9pxgd0I/AAAAAAAABQ4/y9E9EddkGmQ/s1600/Formal+Dining.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="250" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--qzoh5QZeJA/UWBH9pxgd0I/AAAAAAAABQ4/y9E9EddkGmQ/s320/Formal+Dining.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kLmXeNdR3Zo/UWBIAuwMZ_I/AAAAAAAABRA/IFmYz3mr218/s1600/kitchen.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="250" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kLmXeNdR3Zo/UWBIAuwMZ_I/AAAAAAAABRA/IFmYz3mr218/s320/kitchen.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-aK5bBE4TMLI/UWBIFh-dbcI/AAAAAAAABRI/FbeP88i4Ja0/s1600/pool-patio.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-aK5bBE4TMLI/UWBIFh-dbcI/AAAAAAAABRI/FbeP88i4Ja0/s320/pool-patio.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-MEUK8i_gmao/UWBIJmKHcQI/AAAAAAAABRQ/-dez-jrAjKQ/s1600/pool+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-MEUK8i_gmao/UWBIJmKHcQI/AAAAAAAABRQ/-dez-jrAjKQ/s320/pool+2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Larry B. Grayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04891023045117835261noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8586039420181458273.post-43991495902452465712013-04-04T14:30:00.004-04:002013-04-04T14:30:57.339-04:00Highlights of Proposed Foreclosure Laws in Florida<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-u0g9ZTw__TM/UV3GlQd_KpI/AAAAAAAABQg/k5vZ63qyRDI/s1600/foreclosure.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-u0g9ZTw__TM/UV3GlQd_KpI/AAAAAAAABQg/k5vZ63qyRDI/s200/foreclosure.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><br /><br /><strong><span style="font-size: large;">Join me today in welcoming Sarah Parr as our guest blogger for today.</span></strong><br /><strong><span style="font-size: large;"></span></strong><br /><strong><span style="font-size: large;"></span></strong><br /><strong><span style="font-size: large;"></span></strong><br /><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: center;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Highlights of Proposed Foreclosure Laws in Florida<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">By Sarah Parr<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Florida has seen its share of hardships because of the housing crisis. Analysts say we’re experiencing a slow recovery, but the aftermath of the housing crisis still lingers, especially here. The Sunshine State recently witnessed a 3.11 percent increase in foreclosure activity, according to RealtyTRAC’s year-end report. Lawmakers, real estate professionals and consumer advocates want to change Florida’s status and reform its foreclosure process.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Lawmakers are currently talking about </span></span><a href="http://www.heraldtribune.com/article/20130305/ARTICLE/130309763"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri;">implementing various measures</span></span></a><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">, and this has spurred debate between people from all sides of the issue. The proposed laws could considerably alter the way foreclosures are handled in Florida.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Curing Florida’s long judicial process<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">House Bill 87 intends to speed up Florida’s long judicial-foreclosure process. Supporters claim that the bill looks after borrowers by requiring banks and lenders to show they own a mortgage before they can file any foreclosure action. If set into law, the bill would also allow third-party lien holders, such as condo or homeowner associations, to push foreclosures through a faster process rather than through the customary court arrangement. House Bill 87 would give borrowers 20 days to provide defense against the foreclosure action. After a final judgment in foreclosure is reached, the bill would give banks and lenders one year instead of the present five years to go after borrowers for losses from a foreclosure. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">House Bill 87 <span style="display: none; mso-hide: all;">The legislation </span>has created the most discussion out of all the proposed legislation, as </span></span><a href="http://www.floridaforeclosurelitigator.com/"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri;">Pine Hills foreclosure attorneys</span></span></a><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> might tell you. Opponents of the bill claim it would rather pump out foreclosures as quickly as possible, instead of protecting the rights of homeowners. They also claim that 20 days is not enough time for homeowners to seek out attorneys for foreclosure defense or to provide their own reasonable defenses. On the other hand, supporters assert the foreclosure process is long-drawn-out, producing gloom for everyone involved. Proponents say accelerating the foreclosure process would also be favorable for Florida real estate’s future success, as homes in foreclosure limbo can be eyesores that bring surrounding property values down. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Pushing through case backlog<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Under Senate Bill 1666, senior justices or judges would be able to consent to temporary duty to help with the buildup of foreclosure cases in Florida. The bill would also allow second publication of the notice of sale of a home to be published online in lieu of publication in any other form of media.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>This changes the requirement that a second notice of pending foreclosure must occur in a print media advertisement, a move some say is unfair to low-income homeowners and seniors who could only find out about a looming foreclosure sale through a newspaper notice.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Protection for homeowners in distress<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Four bills, proposed and sponsored by Senator Darren Soto (D-Orlando), seek to aid homeowners struggling with foreclosure or mortgage issues. Senate Bills 1226 and 371 would mandate that lenders can only file a deficiency judgment one year after a final foreclosure judgment, and would only have two years to collect any outstanding debt. Right now, residents can be contacted by debt collectors for up to two decades. Senate Bill 1236, also known as the “Mortgage Principal Reduction Act,” would require the Florida Housing Finance Corporation to utilize $100 million of the federal government’s Hardest-Hit Program to start a mortgage principal reduction program for Floridians with properties in foreclosure. The final proposed bill by Soto, the “Short Sale Debt Relief Act,” would make deficiency judgments unenforceable on a short sale if the original debt was 20 percent or greater than fair market value.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Based on all of the proposals presented, Florida will probably see significant changes in its foreclosure process soon. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;">&nbsp;</span></o:p></span></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;">&nbsp;</span></o:p></span></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: &quot;Segoe UI&quot;;">Sarah Parr is an Orlando-based writer who blogs about issues pertaining to foreclosure.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: &quot;Segoe UI&quot;;"></span></span>&nbsp;</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: &quot;Segoe UI&quot;;"></span></span>&nbsp;</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: &quot;Segoe UI&quot;;"></span></span>&nbsp;</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: &quot;Segoe UI&quot;;"></span></span>&nbsp;</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: &quot;Segoe UI&quot;;"></span></span>&nbsp;</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: &quot;Segoe UI&quot;;"></span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span>&nbsp;</div>Larry B. Grayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04891023045117835261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8586039420181458273.post-26176691087809932222013-03-14T08:47:00.001-04:002013-03-14T08:48:03.352-04:00Interview by Author Roy Murry<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0A6tl0EyWKg/UUHGNTG_bzI/AAAAAAAABOw/9Pt1cbsCcts/s1600/Larry+In+tobacco+field.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0A6tl0EyWKg/UUHGNTG_bzI/AAAAAAAABOw/9Pt1cbsCcts/s320/Larry+In+tobacco+field.JPG" width="315" /></a></div><br />I was recently interviewed by Author Roy Murry on his website, "Murry Reviews and Interviews." I know it is just my over-inflated ego but I did like the lead-in he posted on social media, "<span class="userContent"><a aria-controls="js_2" aria-haspopup="true" aria-owns="js_2" data-hovercard="/ajax/hovercard/user.php?id=1765021766&amp;extragetparams=%7B%22group_id%22%3A0%7D" href="https://www.facebook.com/larrygraysells?group_id=0" id="js_3">Larry B. Gray</a>, author, reviewer, business innovator, and blogger is interviewed on Connie’s Brother’s Blog." </span><br /><span class="userContent"></span><br /><span class="userContent">Be sure to check out the article and all the other great reviews and interviews on Roy's site. Just click on the link below.</span><br /><span class="userContent"></span><br /><span class="userContent">Thanks Roy, for all your support.</span><br /><span class="userContent"></span><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://www.conniesbrother.blogspot.com/2013/03/interview-withlarry-b.html">Click here to read the full interview by Author Roy Murray.</a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Larry B. Grayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04891023045117835261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8586039420181458273.post-35211222277130271482013-01-04T07:37:00.000-05:002013-01-04T07:44:18.436-05:00Poker, Panty Raids and Anti-War Marches<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-DyyJs_dp5vI/TVK8H7VLS8I/AAAAAAAAAfY/vD2tAsKGSGg/s1600/Anti+War+Protest+UNC+1971-72.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="207" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-DyyJs_dp5vI/TVK8H7VLS8I/AAAAAAAAAfY/vD2tAsKGSGg/s320/Anti+War+Protest+UNC+1971-72.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><br /><br />Another snippet from "A Boy From Down East"<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="font-family: &quot;Georgia&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;">Poker, Panty Raids and Anti-War Marches<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></div><br /><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="font-family: &quot;Georgia&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;"><o:p><span style="text-decoration: none;"></span></o:p></span></u></b><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Georgia&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;">What in the world could these three activities have in common?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>As I settled into the routine of dorm life at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill these became part of the unofficial schedule of events and entertainment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Each of these events shared a common connector which helped build friendships and enlightened my college experience.<o:p></o:p></span></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Georgia&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;">There were five of us who lived next door to each other on the first floor of Graham Dorm.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Since we did not partake of the “evil weed,” alcohol became the libation of choice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Beer was our favorite but because we were each too poor to buy it on a regular basis, it was reserved for special occasions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Our fallback drink became wine, Boones Farm Strawberry Hill to be specific.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Occasionally someone bought a bottle of Apple and we all scolded him for not paying attention.<o:p></o:p></span></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Georgia&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;">Every Friday night was poker night for any of us who were staying on campus for the weekend.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>We met in one of our rooms and set up a card table and played well into the night.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Since we were all card sharks and big time wheeler dealers we had to set a bet limit to 1¢.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>If we didn’t, the game would be over after a couple of hands.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Georgia&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;">One of the rules of play was the bottle rule.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>We played until someone won enough hands to be $1.oo ahead.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>At this point we took a break from cards and walked up to the little convenience store located on Franklin Street to buy a bottle of Boones Farm for 99¢.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>We returned to the game and played until the next dollar was won.<o:p></o:p></span></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Georgia&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;">This usually continued until one of three things occurred. First, everyone ran out of money. Since we were college students we had very little money and we were smart enough not to bring all we had to the table. This typically occurred around 1:00 AM.<o:p></o:p></span></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Georgia&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;">The second game-ending occurrence was the closing of the little store.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>This normally occurred at 1:00 AM.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Allowing for an additional hour to finish off that last bottle of Strawberry Hill we wrapped up the game by 2:00 AM.<o:p></o:p></span></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Georgia&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;">The third reason to stop the game rarely occurred but it took a devastating toll on any plans you had for Saturday.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>It occurred when the games were played too fast and $1.00 winners happened too often.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>This lead to a condition where no one was able to walk to the little store and no one else cared.<o:p></o:p></span></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Georgia&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;">Ah, Friday night poker was fun.<o:p></o:p></span></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Georgia&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;">Another periodic occurrence that happened several times each semester was the infamous “panty raid.” Usually between 9:30 PM and 10:30 PM a loud clatter of noise arose out on the quad. Guys from the other male dorms on the north campus crossed our quad of 5 male dorms yelling that immortal call to arms, “Panty Raid,” as they marched to Cobb Hall which was an all-female dorm in 1972. By the time they reached Cobb there would be close to 1,000 people in the group.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Georgia&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;">Whether it was Cobb Hall or one of the other female dorms of the north campus the event played out same. Forget any preconceived ideas or anything you might have seen in a movie about panty raids. <o:p></o:p></span></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Georgia&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;">As the crowd began to arrive at the girl’s dorm several campus police vehicles would drive up and park across the street.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Usually three of the largest policemen walked over and one stood in front of each door.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>The one at the main entrance would knock on the door and tell the house mother to lock all the doors and first floor windows.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>The rest of the police sat on their vehicles and watched the show.<o:p></o:p></span></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Georgia&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;">The crowd of guys gathered across the front of the building and began chanting “Panties, Panties.” I know it sounds corny, but no one said guys were smart when animal instincts took over.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>The girls gathered at the windows of the upper floors looking out and laughing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Every so often one would throw a pair of panties out the window and the crowd went crazy. It was like a shark feeding frenzy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Looking back I realize this stage of the event was similar to chumming the water when you go fishing.<o:p></o:p></span></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Georgia&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;">After the crowd was worked up by the occasional panty, the girls moved to the next and most exciting part of the show.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>A girl would lean out of the window and dangle a pair of panties teasing the crowd and getting everyone to bunch up in a tight group.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>When the timing was just right the girl with the panties suddenly pulled back into the window very quickly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Before the group below her window could react, four arms came out with a trashcan full of cold water which was dumped onto the group of guys standing directly below.<o:p></o:p></span></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Georgia&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;">This process was repeated several times until the crowd got bored and quietly dispersed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span><br />All you could hear as we were leaving was the cat calls and laughing from the dorm and the laughing from the campus police.<o:p></o:p></span></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Georgia&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;">As for me and my friends, we only had to see the bait and switch occur once. We were smart enough to stay in the back and avoid the soaking which was sure to come.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>We stood there and laughed while we shared our bottle of Strawberry Hill, which one of us always had stashed.<o:p></o:p></span></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Georgia&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;">The final activity was the anti-war marches of that time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>In 1972 the Vietnam War was still going on and the anti-war sentiment was very strong on college campuses across the country. UNC was no exception.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>By the spring of 1972 the lottery for the draft had occurred and with my draft number I knew I did not have to worry.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>In many ways I was very apathetic about the war and to be honest viewed the opportunity to march as another fun thing to do.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>And, as I look back most in the crowd felt the same way.<o:p></o:p></span></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Georgia&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;">There were two big opportunities I had to participate in anti-war demonstrations that spring.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>The first was a big demonstration to be held in Washington, DC.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>The activists had put up flyers around campus about the Washington march indicating that UNC organizers were chartering buses to take students to DC to participate.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>For $50.oo you got a bus ride and chance to see the nation’s capital, which I had never done.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>This was a great opportunity.<o:p></o:p></span></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Georgia&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;">I went back to the dorm, called Dad and asked if he could put $50.oo into my account.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>I explained I had an opportunity to take a bus excursion to Washington DC and see the sights.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>He thought for that price this sounded like a great opportunity to learn about the nation’s capital.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>He told me he would get the money together and let me know when it was in my account.<o:p></o:p></span></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Georgia&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;">I not sure how but he found out this was a trip to Washington to demonstrate against the war.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>When he called me back he didn’t need to use the phone because he was yelling so loud I could have heard him all the way from Aurora.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>He proceeded to let me know that if I went on that trip he would pull me out of school so fast I would not know what hit me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Needless to say I did not get the money nor did I get to go to Washington.<o:p></o:p></span></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Georgia&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;">Later, I did participate in a large demonstration held on the campus.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>On that particular day my friends and I were out sunning in the quad when we heard and saw a large crowd of people marching by on Raleigh Street. We decided this looked like fun and followed the group, after we grabbed a couple of bottles of Strawberry Hill.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>We marched up Raleigh Street, then down Franklin Street and back south on Columbia St. During the entire trip and later as we assembled on the quad in front of South Building there was a constant chant of “1, 2, 3, 4 we don’t want your F---ing War.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Georgia&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;">After the march and while everyone was standing in front of South Building one speaker after another got up in front of the crowd and ranted about the war.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>The true activists stood in front and cheered them on.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Georgia&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;">To the rest of us it was just another party.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>It wasn't long before this cloud of “funny” smelling smoke began to fill the air and the party began.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>As for me and my friends out came the Boones Farm and we joined in.<o:p></o:p></span></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Georgia&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;">As you have probably figured out Boones Farm played an integral part in making each of these events a memorable college experience.<o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-family: &quot;Georgia&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></span><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;Georgia&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">This too was part of growing up in Aurora NC.</span><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;Georgia&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;Georgia&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;Georgia&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;Georgia&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;Georgia&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;Georgia&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;Georgia&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;Georgia&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;Georgia&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;Georgia&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"></span><br />Larry B. Grayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04891023045117835261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8586039420181458273.post-39124304356937520572012-11-29T09:53:00.000-05:002012-11-29T12:49:16.521-05:00I Lost a Friend Today<br /><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Georgia&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">I Lost a Friend Today<o:p></o:p></span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7nuACML9HBc/ULegEGti_qI/AAAAAAAAA-s/b_3eqqApvEw/s1600/Hank+Bland+&amp;+Larry+1956+10001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7nuACML9HBc/ULegEGti_qI/AAAAAAAAA-s/b_3eqqApvEw/s320/Hank+Bland+&amp;+Larry+1956+10001.jpg" width="309" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Georgia&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"></span>&nbsp;</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Georgia&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">I found out today one of my oldest friends died. Henry (Hank) B. Bland was born on July 25, 1953 and died on November 27, 2012 after battling cancer and several other illnesses throughout his life.<o:p></o:p></span></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Georgia&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Hank was possibly my oldest friend. I cannot remember a time we were not friends growing up in Edward, NC. In some of the pictures I have of us together we were only 3 years old.<o:p></o:p></span></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Georgia&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Most of our early years were spent living across the street from each other and we spent many hours at the others home. The Bland home in Edward was one of the first places I where I was allowed to go alone. We spent most days playing together and exploring our world.<o:p></o:p></span></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Georgia&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">We had our own little gang which included Hank, Billy, Al and I. Edward was a very small town and we were it. We played together, went to church together, and rode the bus to school together. We had lots of adventures together.<o:p></o:p></span></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Georgia&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">One of those adventures occurred after church one night. As I said Edward is a very small town with only a couple of streets. We lived on the main street through town and the church was on the back street. Between our house and the church was a small wooded area with a path through it maybe a 100 yards long. I remember going to church with my friends, Al, Hank and Billy and one of them suggesting that we walk home through the path in the woods. It was like a badge of courage we were each trying to earn and this would be the first time we attempted it. I am not sure about the other guys but that 100 yard walk was on the longest walks I have ever taken. That should have been a short distance, but it seemed to go on forever. The woods were darker than on any moonless night. It was quite, not even the wind was blowing. After walking for what seemed like hours without saying a word between us, we finally made it to the other end near Al’s house. It was like the moon come out and the stars were shinning and we started laughing and teasing one another. From that night on we always took the short cut through the woods, I guess we earned our badge.<o:p></o:p></span></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Georgia&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">At first my friends and I only played at each other’s houses, but as we got older and braver we ventured out into the area. Behind Hank’s house was an old abandoned barn. This soon became our clubhouse and our base of operations from which we explored deeper and deeper into the woods.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Finally around age 1o or 11 we began exploring the creek and for the next couple of years Hank and I had many great adventures along the banks of Durham Creek.<o:p></o:p></span></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Georgia&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Hank and I started school together in the fall of 1959 at Aurora High School and for the next 12 years we went to the same school building. I remember how it was so great riding the school bus with the big kids and we felt grown up. We were lucky that there were a couple of “High School” girls who kept an eye on us. Thanks Miriam and Deanna, Hank’s sister. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-TUPCTN7Ph68/ULd2Bl5H84I/AAAAAAAAA-M/my6mVs9Mm5k/s1600/First+Grade+++013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-TUPCTN7Ph68/ULd2Bl5H84I/AAAAAAAAA-M/my6mVs9Mm5k/s320/First+Grade+++013.jpg" width="232" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Georgia&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span>&nbsp;</div><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Georgia&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">One Christmas day Hank’s sister Deanna took us to the movies in Washington at the Turnage Theater. The movie Swiss Family Robinson had just come out and we got to see it that first week.<o:p></o:p></span></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Georgia&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Hank was part of the group that went with me to be on the Romper Room TV show in Greenville, NC on WNCT. We both worked hard back then to be good Do Bees.<o:p></o:p></span></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Georgia&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">After high school I got married and moved to Florida and only saw Hank a few times. He came to Florida for a visit once and we talked for a long while about old times. On several occasions I saw Hank when I went back to North Carolina for a visit, but these times became rarer and rarer.<o:p></o:p></span></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Georgia&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Even though we had grown apart, separated by time and distance, it is hard to lose an old friend of almost 60 years. I will miss Hank and the world has changed now that he is gone. I know he suffered many illnesses in his adult life but I also can rest assured he is resting peacefully now in the arms of God.<o:p></o:p></span></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Georgia&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">A joy I have today thinking about Hank is all the great times and memories we had together. He was and still is a great friend.<o:p></o:p></span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-sMemvaA7YMQ/ULd2NeauBeI/AAAAAAAAA-c/fXBLklIRZQU/s1600/Hank+Bland+and+Larry+1956++20001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-sMemvaA7YMQ/ULd2NeauBeI/AAAAAAAAA-c/fXBLklIRZQU/s320/Hank+Bland+and+Larry+1956++20001.jpg" width="309" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Georgia&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"></span>&nbsp;</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Georgia&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">This too is part of growing up in Aurora, NC.<o:p></o:p></span></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Georgia&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></span></div>Larry B. Grayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04891023045117835261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8586039420181458273.post-36850050812347108602012-10-31T14:27:00.003-04:002012-10-31T14:31:22.010-04:00Words from a Wordsmith<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5T1TiJHQjoI/UJFtdKdso3I/AAAAAAAAA7w/dKPBQYViKXs/s1600/Joshua+and+Paige+8-17-2010.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5T1TiJHQjoI/UJFtdKdso3I/AAAAAAAAA7w/dKPBQYViKXs/s200/Joshua+and+Paige+8-17-2010.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>An old posting but a good one.<br /><br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><strong>My Wish for My Grandchildren </strong></div><br /><br />We tried so hard to make things better for our kids that we made them worse.<br /><br /><br /><br />For my grandchildren, I'd like better.<br /><br /><br /><br />I'd really like for them to know about hand me down clothes and homemade ice cream and leftover meat loaf sandwiches, I really would.<br /><br /><br /><br />I hope you learn humility by being humiliated, and that you learn honesty<br /><br />by being cheated.<br /><br /><br /><br />I hope you learn to make your own bed and mow the lawn, and wash the car. And I really hope nobody gives you a brand new car when you are sixteen.<br /><br /><br /><br />It will be good if at least one time you can see puppies born and your old dog put to sleep.<br /><br /><br /><br />I hope you get a black eye fighting for something you believe in.<br /><br /><br /><br />I hope you have to share a bedroom with your younger brother. And it's all right if you have to draw a line down the middle of the room, but when he wants to crawl under the covers with you because he's scared, I hope you let him.<br /><br /><br /><br />When you want to see a movie and your little brother wants to tag along, I hope you'll let him.<br /><br /><br /><br />I hope you have to walk uphill to school with your friends and that you live in a town where you can do it safely.<br /><br /><br /><br />On rainy days when you have to catch a ride, I hope you don't ask your driver to drop you two blocks away so you won't be seen riding with someone as uncool as your Mom.<br /><br /><br /><br />If you want a slingshot, I hope your Dad teaches you how to make one instead of buying one.<br /><br /><br /><br />I hope you learn to dig in the dirt and read books.<br /><br /><br /><br />When you learn to use computers, I hope you also learn to add and subtract in your head.<br /><br /><br /><br />I hope you get teased by your friends when you have your first crush on a girl, and when you talk back to your mother that you learn what ivory soap tastes like.<br /><br /><br /><br />May you skin your knee climbing a mountain, burn your hand on a stove and stick your tongue on a frozen flagpole.<br /><br /><br /><br />I don't care if you try a beer once, but I hope you don't like it.<br /><br /><br /><br />And if a friend offers you dope or a joint, I hope you realize he is not your friend.<br /><br /><br /><br />I sure hope you make time to sit on a porch with your Grandpa and go fishing with your Uncle.<br /><br /><br /><br />May you feel sorrow at a funeral and joy during the holidays.<br /><br /><br /><br />I hope your mother punishes you when you throw a baseball through your neighbor's window and that she hugs you and kisses you at Christmas time when you give her a plaster mold of your hand.<br /><br /><br /><br />These things I wish for you -- tough times and disappointment, hard work and happiness.<br /><br />To me, it's the only way to appreciate life.<br /><br /><br /><br />Written with a pen. Sealed with a kiss. I'm here for you. And if I die before you do, I'll go to heaven and wait for you.<br /><br /><br /><br />-Paul Harvey<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Larry B. Grayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04891023045117835261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8586039420181458273.post-72378669371386483752012-10-09T11:03:00.000-04:002012-10-09T11:03:49.776-04:00Decision Makers Need to Make it Happen<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-KmU1mp7lyxs/UHQ7U4qxxDI/AAAAAAAAA58/-xaJTmCu6Hs/s1600/309215_1492389047426_7360123_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-KmU1mp7lyxs/UHQ7U4qxxDI/AAAAAAAAA58/-xaJTmCu6Hs/s200/309215_1492389047426_7360123_n.jpg" width="187" /></a></div><br /><br />This is one of my older post which needs to be revisisted from time to time.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-outline-level: 3; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: &quot;Georgia&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><u>Decision Makers Need to Make it Happen<o:p></o:p></u></span></b></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-outline-level: 3;"><b><span style="font-family: &quot;Georgia&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></span></b></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: &quot;Georgia&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">In today's business environment teams, groups and committees are all the rage of the modern corporate structure. It is all about empowerment and flattening out the hierarchy and with more acronyms describing how to do it than grains of sand in an hour glass. Every year new gurus come out with their programs, which are just warmed over last year’s programs, but with a few new letters put together to make the latest and greatest acronym ever. Yet, sometimes you have to step back and remember past advice and apply it today.<br /><br />When I thought of myself as a young corporate ladder climber and the team concept of management was just starting I had a manager who gave me two pieces of advice on how to implement these practices.<br /><br />1. “A committee of 3 gets more done when 2 people are absent.” <br /><br /><br />2. “You don't call a committee to kill a rattlesnake, just kill it.”<br /><br /><br />In our daily business lives there are times we just need to make a decision. Not stand around and wait for others and see which way the wind is blowing. There comes a time when we need a decision maker who can step up and is not afraid to make decisive decisions. True leaders in business are becoming a rarity. I believe this is in part due to the way we are teaching our young people that everyone is equal and everyone deserves a trophy even if they lose. Leaders lead and should be recognized as such.<br /><br />In the end we are the only ones responsible for our success or failure and as leaders it is time for us to step up and lead in our area of expertise.<br /><br />Make it Happen Today! <o:p></o:p></span></div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Larry B. Grayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04891023045117835261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8586039420181458273.post-56646315647221598072012-10-01T12:37:00.001-04:002012-10-01T12:39:43.967-04:00My Leadership Guides are 99¢ for a limited time. <br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><strong>My Leadership Guides are 99¢ for a limited time.</strong></span> </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span>&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><strong>Amazon Kindle:</strong> </span><a class="twitter-timeline-link" data-expanded-url="http://www.amazon.com/Larry-B.-Gray/e/B006BX9JVG/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_pop_1" dir="ltr" href="http://www.amazon.com/Larry-B.-Gray/e/B006BX9JVG/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_pop_1%20…" target="_blank" title="http://www.amazon.com/Larry-B.-Gray/e/B006BX9JVG/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_pop_1"><span style="color: #0084b4;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span class="invisible">http://www.</span><span class="js-display-url">amazon.com/Larry-B.-Gray/</span><span class="invisible">e/B006BX9JVG/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_pop_1</span><span class="tco-ellipsis"><span class="invisible"> </span>…</span></span></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span>&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><strong>Smashwords:</strong> </span><a class="twitter-timeline-link" data-expanded-url="http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/Larrygraysells" dir="ltr" href="http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/Larrygraysells%20…" target="_blank" title="http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/Larrygraysells"><span style="color: #0084b4;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span class="invisible">http://www.</span><span class="js-display-url">smashwords.com/profile/view/L</span><span class="invisible">arrygraysells</span><span class="tco-ellipsis"><span class="invisible"> </span>…</span></span></span></a></div><span style="font-size: large;"></span><br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-WqPlMCZgobY/UGnGA93tM-I/AAAAAAAAA4A/XmXyzug99RE/s1600/I+Have+To+Give+A+Speech+Cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-WqPlMCZgobY/UGnGA93tM-I/AAAAAAAAA4A/XmXyzug99RE/s200/I+Have+To+Give+A+Speech+Cover.jpg" width="154" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FvwKxGkUdhc/UGnF5QQnCmI/AAAAAAAAA34/0vmxiN491jw/s1600/3+Cover+-+How+to+Find+a+Job.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FvwKxGkUdhc/UGnF5QQnCmI/AAAAAAAAA34/0vmxiN491jw/s200/3+Cover+-+How+to+Find+a+Job.jpg" width="154" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-o-XasSJJwzc/UGnFw2rhEII/AAAAAAAAA3w/trNkf5M6rVk/s1600/Problem+Solving+Cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-o-XasSJJwzc/UGnFw2rhEII/AAAAAAAAA3w/trNkf5M6rVk/s200/Problem+Solving+Cover.jpg" width="154" /></a></div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Larry B. Grayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04891023045117835261noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8586039420181458273.post-54970898948946863442012-09-19T11:53:00.000-04:002012-09-19T11:53:04.645-04:00Not Politically Correct <br /><h3 align="center" style="margin: 1em 0in; text-align: center;"><u><span style="color: #333333; font-family: &quot;Georgia&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 14pt;">Not Politically Correct<o:p></o:p></span></u></h3><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: &quot;Georgia&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;">The other day I had to prepare a short talk to give at a meeting. It wasn't that difficult to prepare because it was a subject familiar to me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>But the length and time is always a concern. <br /><br />Many moons ago when I was taking Agriculture 1 as a freshman at Aurora High School in Aurora NC we had a short chapter on public speaking. Our teacher, Finnly Lewis, gave this simple rule which has stuck with me and guided me in every speech I have made:<br /><br />"A speech should be like a woman's dress, long enough to cover the subject, but short enough to keep the interest." <o:p></o:p></span></div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wExty2deXtg/UFnpobkg9eI/AAAAAAAAA2c/8yEhiDH6uo8/s1600/I+Have+To+Give+A+Speech+Cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wExty2deXtg/UFnpobkg9eI/AAAAAAAAA2c/8yEhiDH6uo8/s200/I+Have+To+Give+A+Speech+Cover.jpg" width="154" /></a></div><br /><br /><strong>Get Your Copy Today at: </strong><a href="http://www.amazon.com/I-Have-Give-Speech-ebook/dp/B0068PH6IK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1322485409&amp;sr=8-1"><strong>http://www.amazon.com/I-Have-Give-Speech-ebook/dp/B0068PH6IK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1322485409&amp;sr=8-1</strong></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Larry B. Grayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04891023045117835261noreply@blogger.com0